Community bands together to raise barn

Jun 17, 2016 | 3:58 PM

MONTE CREEK, B.C. — The times have changed, but it still takes a community to build a barn. 

In Monte Lake, East of Kamloops people have come together for a good old-fashioned barn raising, all in an effort to help local sheep farmers grow their business into the best it can be.

Volunteers have come from all over the world, as far away as Germany, Australia and France pitching in on their own dime.

Without the hard work, and willingness of this group Harmony Farm would be forced to raise their herd in an overcrowded environment.

WATCH: Full report by Tanya Cronin

You would think the clock had been turned back more than a century. Timbers, mere duplicates of 150 year old construction methods. It’s an old-fashioned barn raising, in a modern world.   

At Harmony Farm in Monte Lake, people are banding together from all over the world. Australia, Germany, France and Ontario, skilled workers are building a new barn to help sheep farmers Patricia and Gerry Porter grow their business. 

“This will allow us to have much bigger rotation, increase our herd, we’re at about 600 lambs right now this will put us up to a 1000 lambs a year, and that’s premium BC local lamb that’s available year round,” says Patricia Porter.

Raised chemical free and fed a top notch diet, these St. Croix Sheep are bred specifically for their gourmet meat. With 150 lambs being born every 2 months, space at Harmony Farm is limited. On a whim, the Porter’s put out a plea for a helping hand, but never thought the response would be so strong.

“It’s fabulous, this stuff doesn’t happen, this doesn’t these days and they’re all enthusiastic.”

“They’re not just labour people that showed up to help out, they’re all skilled, they’re awesome people to work with, they’re doing an awesome job and I can’t thank them enough, it’s pretty neat,” says Gerry Porter.

A dozen volunteers working 10 to 12 hours a day, putting up framework, and now assembling trusses. For this group, it was a no-brainer to come and help out.

“It’s pretty fun, we’re achieving something for them, doing it out of fun really, and a good way to meet people across Canada and meet people everywhere,” says Jack Salter, travelled from Australia. 

“They have a fantastic business opportunity in front of them, and in order to scale their business they need a bigger barn, it’s a huge effort, but important,” says Ian Curry, travelled from Ontario.

It’s hoped the tin roof will be installed by the end of the weekend, and the project completed this summer. An attainable goal thanks to a team of construction angels, showing support and pledging to raise the barn’. 

“All out of the goodness of their own heart, to come together and have a team effort, to put something together, it’s like getting together to build a great big hole and get it done,” says Porter.